Ford Kenya denies holding secret talks with DP Ruto

 

The Ford Kenya leadership has denied claims that they are secretly engaging Deputy President William Ruto for a possible alliance ahead of the 2022 General Election.

Deputy party leader Richard Onyonka, who is also the Kitutu Chache MP, told the Nation that they believe in the ideologies of the One Kenya Alliance (Oka) and as such, see no need in having coalition talks with any party.

"The information circulating that Ruto has approached us is not true.  At the moment, we are believing in Oka.  Our position as a party is that [for] any decision which the party leader will take, he will have to consult the national executive council and parliamentary group,” said Mr Onyonka.

At the centre of Oka is Wiper party leader Kalonzo Musyoka, Amani National Congress boss Musalia Mudavadi, Ford Kenya’s Moses Wetang’ula and Kanu’s Gideon Moi.

Not yet time

According to Mr Onyonka, even though they have agreed that the party is still open to alliance talks with any other party, it is not yet time for that, noting that they have not been approached by the country's second in command.

The legislator said the fact that Senate Speaker Kenneth Lusaka has been closely associating with Senator Wetang’ula is not an indication that Ford Kenya is in coalition talks with DP Ruto’s camp.

“Our position remains that we agreed that we can join any alliance, when the time comes. For now, Ford Kenya is a party which is solidly in Oka and nothing has changed,” Mr Onyonka said.

It had emerged that the DP is working on a scheme to make inroads in the vote-rich western region and winning Mr Wetang’ula and Kakamega governor Wycliffe Oparanya, who is the ODM deputy party leader, would give him an upper hand.

Governor Oparanya has been on record saying that he is not planning to ditch ODM for the ‘Hustler’ movement, noting that he can get nothing from the Ruto camp.

“What will I join them as? On this side I am a deputy party leader. Are they going to give the same? These are people who look desperate; they think by blackmailing me I will go and join them,” said Mr Oparanya.

Luyha unity

Mr Lusaka had said the elusive Luyha unity is possible if leaders from the region start speaking with one voice.

“For us to be taken seriously in national politics, we, the leaders, have to work and walk together as a community,” he said last week.

Kiminini MP Chris Wamalwa, who is also the Ford Kenya interim secretary-general, also said that the Oka technical committee is currently working on a formula which will ensure that there is no win-lose situation in sharing positions in 2022.

“In negotiation, there must be a win-win situation. If you want a winner-takes-it-all, people will run away. Already, we have put up a technical team to work on the agreement. The coalition is open-minded, anybody can join it as long as you come as one among the equals; no special attention,” he said in an interview.

Dr Wamalwa told the Nation that the western region has been used by what he termed as “outsiders” for years, hence come 2022, they will use their numbers to support their own, a clear indication that they will either support Mr Mudavadi or Senator Wetang’ula.

“For us, our numbers have never helped us but this time round, a new wave is sweeping across the region. Our people now comprehend the importance of unity and those who have gone astray are on the way coming back home. We must rally behind Mudavadi and Wetang’ula, who are our senior most politicians,” said Dr Wamalwa.    BY DAILY NATION